Bekzat Almakhan and Jean Matsumoto completed their pre-fight faceoff in the build-up to their scheduled bout at UFC Baku.
Bekzat Almakhan and Jean Matsumoto stood across from one another at their pre-fight faceoff as their scheduled UFC Baku bout draws closer, giving fans an early look at one of the card's intriguing matchups.
Almakhan, known as "The Turan Warrior," carries a 12-4 record into the fight representing Kazakhstan and the Triumph Fights camp. The 28-year-old orthodox striker stands five-foot-seven with a 68-inch reach and lands 1.61 significant strikes per minute at a 34 percent accuracy rate. Precise rather than prolific on the feet, Almakhan has posted no takedown or submission activity of note in his UFC appearances so far.
His opponent, Jean Matsumoto, arrives with an impressive 18-2 record and represents Brazil under the Inside MMA banner. The 26-year-old is one inch shorter than Almakhan but shares the identical 68-inch reach. What sets Matsumoto apart is his striking volume — he lands 5.37 significant strikes per minute at 39 percent accuracy, making him one of the more active offensive fighters in his division. He also averages three takedowns per 15 minutes and has recorded 0.5 submission attempts per 15 minutes, giving him genuine three-dimensional threat potential.
Why it matters
- Matsumoto's heavy output and takedown activity pose a multi-faceted challenge for the more measured Almakhan
- Both fighters share identical reach at 68 inches, making the physical matchup tightly contested
- Almakhan will need to find answers for Matsumoto's volume if he hopes to extend his record past 12 wins
- A strong performance from either man in Baku could push them further up the divisional ladder
